Pickle feeder



March 6, 1956 E KlBLER ET A1. 2,737,286

PICKLE FEEDER Filed Feb. 1l, 1953 2 Sheets-Shea?l l 0 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS March 6, 1956 E, KlBLER ET AL 2,737,286

PICKLE FEEDER Filed Feb. l1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTORS [SYM ATTORNEYS 2,7 37,286 Patented Mar. s, 195s a ICC PICKLE FEEDER Louis E. Kibler and Robert A. Sindali, Jr., Baltimore, Md., assignors to A. K. Robins & Company, Inc., Baln timore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application February 11, 1953, Serial No. 336,254

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-36) This invention relates to feeding machines, and more particularly to such machines designed to arrange and feed elongated objects, such as pickles and the like.

In the packing of certain products, it is necessary that the objects to be packed be singly fed to the packing means and when the objects are elongated, it is necessary that they be positioned with their long axis in the direction of travel, or it is impossible to meter the flow of objects through a machine to obtain single feeding.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine upon which the elongated objects may be dumped, which will arrange and sort the objects so that they will be properly arranged for passage through a metering passage, and feed these objects in succession and in proper alignment from the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a machine which may be adjusted to handle objects of different sizes.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of a practical embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form a part of, this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a feeding machine incorporating the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the metering member and the adjustable collar thereon which limits passage of only a single layer of the product through the metering passageway; and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the rotatable feed table and its guard rim, showing the position of the metering member and is taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the feeder is shown as having a base frame 1 which supports a motor 2 to drive a rotatable table 3, and pickle sorter and metering means indicated generally at 4.

The frame consists of four spaced legs 5, which are joined by a rectangular horizontal top frame 6 and suitable intermediate bracing members 7. A vertical panel 8 is supported between two of the legs to form a base upon which the motor 2 may be mounted. The motor is attached to the panel in any desired manner. The motor may carry a suitable gear box 9, and a drive shaft 10 extends vertically upward from the gear box centrally of the frame. Shaft 10 is supported by means of a bearing 11 which is connected to the top frame 6.

Rotatable table 3, mounted upon the top of shaft 1t), is in the form of a flat disk, and its upper surface forms a moving platform upon which the pickles are arranged for feeding. Shaft 10 rotates to move the table in a clockwise direction when viewed from above, as shown in Fig. 3. A guard rail or rim 12 is positioned about the periphery of the table, and extends a considerable distance above the table, to confine pickles in the machine and prevent them from falling from the table. The guard rim is supported by braces 13 which are connected to the side rails of the top member of the frame and secured to the bottom portions of the lim.

Shaft 10 extends through, and projects above, the top of table 3 and a drum 14 is rotatably mounted on this projecting portion. The drum is hexagonal in cross section and of suicient length to extend from the top of the table to a point above the top of the guard rim 12. Drum 14 is adapted to be rotated in a direction contra to that of the table by drive means which will be described. Y

A rotatable sorter 15 and a rotatable metering member 16 are mounted so as to project downwardly from an adjustable arm 17 which is positioned above the table 3. Arm 17 is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 18 which extends vertically along one side of the rim 12, and is journaled in bearings 19 and 20 which are carried at the ends of an extension of one of the top framemernbers 21 and a brace 22 which extends horizontally outward from one of the legs 5 of the frame. Arm 17 has an opening at one end which tits over the shaft 18 and the arm rests upon a collar 23 fixed upon the shaft 18 at a point above the plane of the top of the guard rim 12. At the opposite side of the machine a support 24 extends vertically upward from an extension 25 of one of the top frame members. Support 24 carries a horizontal bracket 26 at its upper end, which bracket is provided with an elongated slot 27 and a threaded bolt 28 passes through the slot and through the end of arm 17. A wing nut 29 is threaded on the bolt and serves to clamp the end of the arm to the bracket 26. It will be obvious that the position of the arm in relation to the periphery of the table may be changed by loosening the wing nut and moving the arm around its pivot on shaft 18. When the desired position of adustment has been reached, the wing nut will be tightened to hold the arm in position. VIt will be noted that arm 17 extends horizontally across the machine, and that it is bent in a horizontal plane so that its end sections are angularly related. The metering member is attached to the arm adjacent the bend in the arm, and the sorter to the outer section. This places the metering member in a more advanced position toward the periphery of the table. It is rotated by means of a belt 33 ywhich passes around the pulley 31 and also a pulley 34 mounted upon the countershaft 18. The metering member is an elongated element, and its cross-sectional shape is that of a regular polygon. It is shown in the drawing as pentagonal, and has the lengthwise extending corners 35 at the intersections of the tive faces. A hexagonal collar 36 is mounted on the pentagonal element and is vertically adjustable thereon. It is held in positions of acljustrnent by means of set screw 37.

Sorter 15 is formed from a cylindrical rod which is journaled in the arm 17 and is driven by means of a belt 38 which passes around a pulley 32 on the shaft of the metering member and a pulley 39 iixedly connected to the sorter rod 15. Countershaft 1S carries a second pulley 40, below the pulley 34, and a belt 41 from this Pulley drives the drum 14 by passing around a pulley 42 txedly connected to the top of the drum. The countershaft is driven by` means of a pulley 43 which is mounted on the shaft V18, belt 44 and drive pulley 45 which is fixed to the central shaft 10. Belt 44 is given a half-twist so that the direction of rotation of the countershaft and the drum, sorter and metering members, driven thereby, will be in a direction opposite that of the rotatable table.

In order to permit discharge of the objects being fed,

the peripheral guard rim 12 is discontinuous in the region of the metering member to form an outlet 46. An extension of the guard rim projects tangentially to the circular portion of the rim from a point adjacent the metering member, to form a straight guard wall 47 to guide the objects as they leave the rotating table and are deposited into a discharge chute o-r upon a belt or other means to carry the objects from the machine.

ln operation, the table 3 will be rotated in a clockwise direction and the drum le?, sorter and metering member 16 will be rotated in a counter-clock direction. Objects, such as pickles or other elongated products, to be fed by the machine are placed, or dumped, upon the table 3 in heterogeneous arrangement. As the table rotates, centrifugal force will cause the pickles to move outwardly toward the periphery of the table and against the guard rim. The revolving table will carry the mass of pickles toward the sorter 1S which is positioned sufciently close to the peripheral edge of the table to permit only two pickles to pass between it and the guard rim. The pickles must be positioned so that their long axes extend in the direction of rotation of the disk in order for two of them to pass the sorter simultaneously. Those which are not properly positioned and those in excess of the two will be pushed aside by the rapidly moving surface of the sorter which, as mentioned above, is traveling in a direction counter to that of the table. The sorter will throw these excess pickles toward the center of the table so that they will be carried past the sorting and metering device to again assume a position against the guard rim and be properly aligned for passage by the sorter on the next revolution of the table. Those pickles which are permitted to pass the sorter are next presented to the metering member. The metering device is set sufciently close to the peripheral edge of the table so that only one pickle at a time may pass between the member and the guard rim. As the metering member is also rotating counter to the movement of the table, the corners of the member will strike any pickle which is not against the guard rim and throw it away from the rim toward the center of the table. The member is made polygonal so that the corners between the faces will strike positive blows against the pickles to drive them backwardly and inwardly to prevent any possible jamming at the metering point.

The collar 36 is fixed in adjusted position above the surface of the table suicient to allow only one pickle to pass. if pickles should arrive at the metering point superimposed upon one another, the upper pickles will be struck by the rotating hexagonal collar and prevented from moving through the metering passage. In this Way single delivery of pickles is assured.

Drum 14 serves to give initial outward impetus to pickles which land on the table near the center thereof, so that centrifugal force will carry them to the periphery of the table. By having the drum at the center of the table, pickles are prevented from falling on the center, or so near to the center, that centrifugal force will have little no cilect upon them.

The position of the sorter and metering member may be changed by adjusting the position of the arm i7 when pickles of different size are to be fed to the machine. Due to the fact that the sorter is located further from the pivotal point of the arm than the metering member, the sorter will be moved a greater distance toward, and from the guard rim than will the metering member. This will maintain the proper ratio of distance of the two members Afrom the guard rail. When this adjustment is made, it is also necessary to change the position of the hexagonal collar on the metering element. This collar will be set above the table a distance substantially equal to that of the distance of the metering element from the guard rim.

While in the abo-ve one practical embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the specific structure disclosed is merely by way of illustration and that many details may be changed within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

l. In a machine for receiving elongated objects in a heterogeneous mass and arranging and feeding said objects singly, a table to receive said objects rotatable in a horizontal plane to cause said objects to move outwardly toward the periphery thereof under the urge of centrifugal force, an upstanding rim about the periphery of said table and extending above the upper surface thereof, a rotatable metering member vertically positioned above said table and having its lower end in close proximity to the top of said table and spaced from said rim a distance slightly greater than the widthwise dimension of the objects to be fed, said metering member being of uniform cross section throughout and having a collar 0f greater cross section vertically adjustable thereon to different distances from the table and means to rotate said table in one direction and said metering member in the opposite direction.

2. ln a machine as claimed in claim l, means to adjust the distance of said metering member from the said rim.

3. In a machine as claimed in claim l, a sorter above said table and having its bottom closely adjacent said table and rotatable about a vertical axis, said sorter being located ahead of said metering member in the path of travel of objects on said table, and spaced farther from said rim than said metering member, and means to rotate said sorter in a direction opposite to that of said table.

4. ln a machine as claimed in claim l, a sorter above said table and having its bottom closely adjacent said table and rotatable about a vertical axis, said sorter being located ahead ot said metering member in the path of travel of objects on the table and spaced farther from said rim than said metering member, means to simultaneously adjust the relative distances of said metering member and said sorter from said rim, and means to rotate said sorter in a direction opposite to that of said table.

5. In a machine as claimed in claim l, a sorter above said table and having its bottom closely adjacent said table and rotatable about a vertical axis, said sorter being located ahead of said metering member in the direction of travel of objects on the table and spaced farther from said rim than said metering member, means to simultaneously adjust the relative distances of said metering member and said sorter from said rim, and means to rotate said sorter in a direction opposite to that of said table.

6. ln a machine as claimed in claim l, a sorter above said table and having its bottom closely adjacent said table and rotatable about a vertical axis, said sorter being located ahead of said metering member in the direction of travel of objects on the table and spaced farther from said rim than said metering member, means to simultaneously adjust the relative distances of said metering member and said sorter from said rim, a drum centrally positioned above said table, and means to rotate said sorter and said drum in a direction opposite to that of said table.

7. In a machine as claimed in claim l, a sorter above said table and having its bottom closely adjacent said table and rotatable about a vertical axis, said sorter being located ahead of said metering member in the direction of travel of objects on the table and spaced farther from said rim than said metering member, an arm pivotly mounted at one side of said table and extending across said table and movable in a horizontal plane,said arm supporting said metering member and sorter, means to hold said arm in selected positions of adjustment, and means to rotate said sorter in a direction opposite to that of said table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l76,659 Mundy Oct. l7, 1939 2,437,721 Barganz Mar. 16, 1948 2,629,48l Stover Feb. 24, 1953 

